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I-40 Lane Closures Between NC and TN

July 27, 2016

I-40 Lane Closures Near NC/TN State Line Till Labor Day I-40 lane closures will bring delay of traffic for the remainder of the summer. Travelers on Interstate 40 between North Carolina and Tennessee need to know about lane closures for the next several weeks. Expect traffic delays for the remainder of the summer due to work by the NCDOT. The NCDOT will be performing work to remove rock and soil high above the interstate. This project is needed to reduce the possibility of rock slides that in the past have resulted in I-40 being closed for weeks. The project begins…
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Great Smoky Mountains Synchronous Fireflies Event

May 30, 2016

Great Smoky Mountains Synchronous Fireflies Event For 2016 The park service has announced the dates for the annual viewing of the Great Smoky Mountains synchronous fireflies event at Elkmont for June 2016. The dates for this year’s event will be Tuesday, May 31st through Tuesday, June 7th. Due to the popularity of this event and the crowds in past years this year’s access to Elkmont to view the synchronous fireflies was by a lottery. Parking Passes were distributed by a lottery at Recreation.gov in April. If you were lucky enough to get a parking pass through the lottery then the viewer…
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Sightseeing Helicopter Crash Kills Five

April 4, 2016

Sightseeing Helicopter Crash Kills Five In Pigeon Forge Five people have been killed as the result of a sightseeing helicopter crash in the Pigeon Forge/Sevierville area of East Tennessee. This happened today about 3:30pm. It has been reported by emergency responders on the scene that there is little left of the helicopter due to the crash and a fire at the scene in the woods. Multiple agencies responded including several local area Fire Departments as well as the Tennessee Forestry Division. The fire from the crash scene has spread to the surrounding wooded area at the crash site. There are reports by…
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GSMNP Most Visited National Park in 2015

February 24, 2016

GSMNP Most Visited Park in 2015 Of all the national parks in the United States the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was the most visited national park in 2015. The Smokies beat out the second place park, the Grand Canyon National Park in Nevada, with the GSMNP having twice the number of visitors as the number 2 park. For the first time ever the GSMNP had over 10.7 million visitors in one year. Park officials think the jump in the number of visitors was in part due to lower gas prices, a warm winter and their national campaign to promote…
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Winter Storm Olympia

February 14, 2016

Winter Storm Olympia Bringing More Heavy Snow To GSM Winter Storm Olympia headed to the Great Smoky Mountains. Another Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina by the U.S. National Weather Center. Winter Storm Olympia will bring a mixed bag of winter weather to the area including snow, sleet and freezing rain over the next 2 days. (When did they start naming winter storms?!) The forecast warns of snow first, then turning to sleet and freezing rain by the time this storm ends Tuesday morning.  Frigid temperatures over…
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October Sets New Record

November 17, 2015

Fall Foliage Makes October Second Busiest Month On Record Thanks to this year’s vivid and colorful fall foliage display the Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials report this past October was the busiest month since 1987. The number of visitors to the park in October of 1987 is reported as the busiest October with October 2015 being the second busiest month on record. It was a banner fall foliage display with fall colors predicted to be the best in several years. Visitors flocked to the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and North Carolina to see the beautiful fall colors. The National…
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Appalachian Bear Rescue

October 26, 2015

What Is Appalachian Bear Rescue? The Appalachian Bear Rescue is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving orphaned and injured black bear cubs. Since being formed in 1990 the organization has cared for more than 200 bears. They work closely with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. After care, medical attention and rehabilitation the rescued bear cubs are returned to the wild. As well as caring for the cubs the organization’s mission is also to educate the public about black bears. There are many reasons for the need for a bear cub to be rescued. Abandonment, injury, dog…
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Black Bears Need To Forage

October 24, 2015

Black Bears Need To Forage The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is asking for help on their Great Smoky Mountains National Park Facebook page. The black bears need to be left alone to forage prior to the winter months. Please heed the posted  warning signs. Here is a copy of their request. “We need your help! Please allow bears to forage undisturbed during this critical feeding period before winter hibernation. Bears depend on fall foods such as acorns and grapes to store fat reserves that enable them to survive winter. This year, these foods in the park are extremely scarce….
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Controlled Burns Planned For Cades Cove

October 21, 2015

Controlled Burns Planned For Cades Cove In Coming Weeks The Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have just announced a series of prescribed controlled burns planned for Cades Cove. These prescribed burns help to restore the woodlands by burning undergrowth, control woody encroachment, rid nonnative plant species and encourage native plant species growth. The controlled burns can start as early as next week and can take place intermittently for the next several weeks. Many fields in Cades Cove have been identified by fire management as needing the controlled burn (about 300 acres total). Delays and possible temporary closures may take place on some roads…
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Murphy Gets New Casino

September 28, 2015

Murphy Gets New Casino For Western NC Western North Carolina has a new casino. The new casino opened in Murphy, NC on Monday September 28, 2015. Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel is now open for business. It has over 1,000 slot machines and 70 table games in the 50,000 square foot casino. Encase patrons get hungry the casino has a food court with Nathan’s Panda Express, Earl of Sandwich, Papa John’s Pizza, and Starbucks within the complex steps away from the slot machines and gaming table.The hotel is a 300 room full service hotel. Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino…
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